Temperature indicator



H. P. SLEEPER TEMPERATURE INDICATOR Filed Nov. 30, 1920 I N V ENTOR fidrre P S/eeper WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES HARVEY P. SLEEPER, OF WILKINSBUBG,

PATENT OFFICE.

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- VAN'IA.

TEMPERATURE INDICATOR.

Application filed November 30, 1920. Serial No. 427,310.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY P. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Temperature Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to temperature indicators and particularly to temperature indicators for transformers.

One object of my invention is to provide means for indicating the occurrence of a predetermined temperature in a polemounted transformer.

- Another object of my invention is to provide such means that may be readily visible from the street below the transformer.

Another object of my invention is to revide a device, of the above indicated 0 actor, that may be removably threaded into the oil drain of a transformer tank.

Another object of my invention is to rovide a device, of the above indicated 0 aracter, that may be easily reset.

A still further object of m invention is to provide a temperature in icator, of the above indicated character, that shall be simple and economical in its construction, and reliable in its operation.

In practicing my invention, I provide a thermal-responsive device, such as a bimetallic member, that shall be subjected to the temperature of the heat-stora device, the temperature of which is to be indicated, and a movable indicating member that shall be moved to a position at which it may be visible when the bimetallic member attains a predetermined temperature.

In the accompanying drawings, Fi 1 is a side view, artially 1n elevation and partially in section, of an indicator embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the indicator illustrated in Fig. 1, with the cover and the movable indicating member removed;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the cover;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2; and

Fi 5 is an elevational view, illustrating the disposition of the indicator on a polemounted transformer.

SLEEPER,

Referring to the accompanying drawin s, a temperature indicator 10 comprises a imeltallic; member 11 and a movable disc member 12 that is controlled thereby to indicate the development of a predetermined temperature in the member 11. The member 11 is dis osed in a tubular casing 13, and the memlier 12 is disposed in a cylindrical casing 14 that is disposed at one end of, and supported on, the casing 13.

One end of the bimetallic member 11 is Secured to an adjustable support 15 and its other end is secured to a shaft 16 that is supported between two bearings 17 and 18 that are disposed in the two casings 13 and.

14, respectively.

The disc member 12 is disposed on a geared sleeve member 19 that is axially mounted on the shaft 16. her 19 is engaged by a that is supported on, and actuated by a pivoted member 21. The pivoted mem r 21 is normally maintained in an inactive position by a latch member 23, that is secured to the shaft 16, in which position the s ring 22 is maintained in tension.

en the bimetallic member attains a predetermined tem erature, it is so twisted as to move the late 23 to permit the spring 22 to actuate the pivoted member 21. The consequent movement of the pivoted member 21 and the geared so cut 20 turns the member 12 about the sha 16.

The casin 14 for the member 12 is provided wit an opening or window 24 throu h which the member 12 may be observei- The portion of the disc member that may be normally observed, while the bimetallic element is unheated, is preferably black. The lower portion of the disc member, which is moved into vision when the indicator is operated, is prefer-ab] white. The temperature at which the bimetallic element shall 0 crate the indicator may be predetermined Ey adjusting the member 15, to which one end of said element is attached.

After the indicator has been operated, it may be reset by a movable knob 25 which is adapted to actuate a pivoted member 26, of arc shape, against the pivoted member 21 on which the geared segment 20 is dis osed. When the pivoted member 21 is lifte past the latch 23, it is relatched and maintained The geared memgeared segment 20 oil at the top,

in that osition until the bimetallic member again rdieases that member to again operate the indicator. A spring 27 returns the pivoted member 26 to its initial position to remove it from the path of movement of the member 21.

The casing 14 is provided with a threaded Hortion 28 that serves to support the inicator in a fluid-containing receptacle, such as a transformer tank.

Since transformer tanks are provided with oil drains having removable plugs, the threaded opening, that is used as a drain, may be em loyed as the opening through which the indicator may be inserted into the oil. The employment of the oil drain of the transformer tank rmits the indicator to be used with transf di'mers as installed without costly changes of tanks or other apparatus.

Since the temperature of the oil at the bottom of the transformer tank bears a predetermined ratio to the temperature of the the indicator may be adjusted to operate at the hottest temperature of the transformer.

Although the indicator is shown in connection with a, pole-mounted transformer, it is obvious that it may also be employed with other heat-storage devices to indicate the development of a predetermined temperature therein.

I do not limit the indicator embodying my invention to the specific structure that is illustrated, since various modifications may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A. temperature indicator comprising a thermal element, a pivoted member held in inactive position thereby under predetermined tem erature conditions and released when the liiiermal element attains a predetermined temperature, a movable Semaphore normall in non-indicating position and actuate to indicating position when the pivoted member is released and means for returning the pivoted member to its inactive posltion and permitting the thermal element to reengage t e pivoted member.

2. A temperature indicator comprising a thermal element, a latch member controlled thereby, a, semaphore movable to two predetermined positions, and means co-operating with the latch to preclude movement of the semaphore until a predetermined temperature is attained by the thermal element and then actuating the sema here, said means comprising a geared whee i secured to the semap ore and a co-operating geared portion adapted to actuate the wheel when said ortion is released from a biased position y the latch member.

3. A temperature indicator comprising :1

bimetallic element, a shaft controlled thereby, a lever secured to the shaft and movable therewith, a semaphore disposed on the shaft and relatively movable with respect thereto, a gear wheel secured to the semaphore to control the movement thereof, and a normally biased segmental gear for controlling such movement of the semaphore, the lever on the shaft serving to restrain the segmental ear in a biased position until the bimetallic element attains a predetermined temperature.

4. A temperature indicator comprisin a thermal element, a shaft controlled thereiy, a latch member controlled by the shaft, a movable semaphore disposed on the shaft and means controlled by the latch member to efl'ect movement of the semaphore only when the thermal element attains a predetermined temperature.

5. A temperature indicator comprising a thermal element, a semaphore normally in non-indicating position and actuated to indicating position when the thermal element attains a predetermined temperature, an actuating means for the semaphore comprising a pivoted member and an operating member controlled by the pivoted member to actuate the semaphore, means controlled by the thermal element for releasing the pivoted member when the thermal element attains the predetermined temperature and means for resetting the pivoted member in its biased position.

6. In a temperature bination with a thermal able indicating member, of a toothed member for actuatmg the indicating member, a normally biased toothed member for actuating the toothed actuating member and means for releasing the biased member at a predetermined temperature.

7. In a temperature indicator, the combination with a thermal elementand a movable indicating member, of a toothed member for actuating the indicating member, a second toothed member for actuating the first toothed member, means for restraining the second toothed member until the thermal element attains a predetermined temperature and means for actuating the second toothed member upon its release by the restraining means.

8. A temperature indicator comprising a bimetallic member and a casing therefor adapted to be inserted into a heat-storage device, a movable member and a casing therefor, the chambers of both casings communicating to permit the bimetallic memher to control the movable member, means normally restraining the movable member in one position, means for actuating that member to another position, means controlled by the bimetallic member for renderin; the restraining means inoperative and indicator, the comelement and a movmeans for predetermining when the restraining means shall be rendered inoper ative.

9. A temperature indicator comprising a spiral bimetallic member, a casing therefor adapted to be inserted into a device in which the development. of a predetermined temperature is to be indicated, a movable member, a casing therefor supported on the first-mentioned casing, a shaft supported between the two casings and having the movable member supported thereon, means for turning the movable member on the shaft, means for rendering the turning means inoperative until the bimetallic member is heated to a predetermined temperature, adjustable means for predetermining the temperature at which the indicator shall operate and means for resetting the indicator.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of November, 1920.

HARVEY P. SLEEPER.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,520,915, granted December. 30, 1924, upon the application of Harvey P. Sleeper, of Wilkinsbur'g, Pennsyl- Vania, for an improvement in Temperature Indmators, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, lines 67 and,73, for the word lever read latch; and that the said Letters Patent. should be read with these corrections therein that the sanie may conformlo the record of rthe case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of March, A. D. 1925.

[sum] KARL FENNING,

' Acting Commissioner of- Patents. 

